Let’s take a couple of scenarios:
Scenario 1 – I want to lose weight but I don’t want to visit a nutritionist because she is going to ask me to avoid eating out which means I won’t be able to enjoy my favorite foods!
Scenario 2 – My nutritionist tells me that when you eat out, prefer to eat clear soups, veg sandwiches, steamed idlis instead of the dosa or medu vada that I love. It’s really sad to look at other people enjoying their food, when you are not. Seriously, looking at the limited options I have, I’d rather eat khichdi at home.
We come across such scenarios quite often, don’t we?
So, here is a little experiment we did. For a whole month, we did not eat OUT at all, but then we did not even restrict ourselves to khichdi and roti. We made everything from fried samosas to aaloo parathas, dosas, various pastas and risottos and even the diwali sweets (yes, it was the festive diwali month). This was probably the tastiest month of my life. And, guess what happened to my weight? I lost 2 kgs! Hallelujah!!!
Anything (literally anything) that you cook at home is far healthier and will still help you lose weight compared to the same item that you eat out! Let us understand the reasons why:
Low on Salt, Sugar & Fats
Restaurant or commercially prepared foods tend to be high on salt, sugar, oils and not to forget “preservatives” to make them taste better and last longer! When you cook the same food items at home, it allows you to control the amount of salt, sugar and oils you use in your recipes. This in turn reduces the probability of weight gain and lifestyle related diseases.
Natural Ingredients
Eating at home allows you to add a variety of natural ingredients like fresh veggies, fruits or dairy products instead of the unhealthy processed foods frequently served in restaurants or available in pre-made meals from the grocery store like pizza – pasta sauces, breakfast mixes, ready to fry food items, canned fruits and vegetables etc.
Preserves Nutrients
Overcook..Reheat..Freeze – We do none of these when we cook at home! This makes homemade food fresh and light. ALWAYS! What’s more – it retains all the essential nutrients which have numerous health benefits!
Finally there is one point we didn’t consider at all!! Cooking at home is easy on your pocket too! 😉
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A very interesting read.